大乘起信論義記 2.118

2.118

In the second stage: the persons who contemplate are the bodhisattvas of the three ranks of worthies from the ten understandings upward. The initial mind of the ten understandings is named the abiding of aspiration; citing this initial person includes the subsequent stages, hence it says "initial aspiration and so forth". Because although these bodhisattvas retain afflictions and thus do not realize the emptiness of persons, nevertheless bodhisattvas at this stage truly attain mastery with respect to the emptiness of persons, they are therefore discussed at the same stage as the two vehicles. "Awaken to the difference of thoughts" is the mark that is contemplated: the two marks of difference explained above, discriminating internal and external, calculating self and what belongs to self, greed, anger, views, affections, and so forth, are known together by these two kinds of persons. This clarifies that the originally pure mind is put to sleep by avidyā, dreaming in the marks of difference and giving rise to all afflictions; and now, gradually conjoining with wisdom, one attains a slight awakening from the dream of the mark of difference; hence it says "awaken to the difference of thoughts". The benefit of contemplation: since one can awaken from the dream of the mark of difference, that mark of difference which was dreamt of is forever nonexistent; hence it says "thoughts have no mark of difference". "Because they abandon the marks of coarse discrimination and grasping" explains the mark of benefit: giving rise to greed, anger, and so forth is named "coarse discrimination"; grasping at opposing and conforming objects is named "the mark of grasping". Because one awakens from the dream of the mark of difference, one is able to abandon them; yet one is still asleep in the dream of the mark of abiding, hence it is called "approximate enlightenment", which concludes the scope of contemplation. Because bodhisattvas in this stage have not yet reached the stage of realization, and the two vehicles do not comprehend the emptiness of phenomena, it is called "approximate enlightenment".